1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seating devices for supporting an individual. More specifically, the present invention relates to a seat which supports both the knees and the posterior of the individual while he or she is paddling a boat such as a canoe, kayak or other craft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, an individual paddling a canoe kneels with his or her legs folded rearwardly so that the knees and shins rest on the floor of the boat with little or no support for the posterior of the person. U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,992 to Morris, 4,672,911 to Hodgins and 3,769,645 to Lettman all disclose seats for use in recreational vehicles such as a canoe or water vehicle. Lettman discloses a canoe knee seat formed from a single molded piece of plastic and which is used in Canadian canoes. In these boats, the paddler kneels in the hull and braces himself with his posterior against a seat surface already within the canoe. The Lettman knee seat does not itself include a seat for the posterior of the individual and is not adjustable. Morris discloses a recreational waterslide with a seat on which the rider rests his or her posterior while the legs are bent at the knees with the knees and shins resting on the floor of the waterslide. A strap is placed over the rider's legs to maintain the rider in this seated position. Hodgkins discloses a canoe seat with a oar-lock unit.
A knee-chair, which may be used in recreational vehicles for transportation use such as snowmobiles, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,978 to Gillings, Jr. The Gillings, Jr. knee-chair generally includes a saddle shape surface upon which the posterior may rest with the thighs arranged astride the vertical sides thereof, and a pair of rearwardly facing surfaces which merge smoothly with the respective vertical sides. The Gillings, Jr. knee-chair does not appear to be adjustable. U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,699 to Dungan and U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,249 to Serber both disclose sit-kneel chairs which distribute the weight and position of the user for a healthy and comfortable position of the spine. The Dungan and Serber chairs are adjustable and specifically designed for use in an office.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,193 to Kolleas discloses a foot rest which includes a mounting bracket for attachment to the side panel of a vehicle driver's compartment. The foot rest bracket contains a series of vertically spaced keeper slots for receiving keeper studs on the foot rest member.
Individuals today are becoming more aware of the health benefits of outdoor exercise such as canoeing. However, at the same time, people are also leary of the problems which can be associated with exercise, such as knee injury and back injury, and the discomfort associated with prolonged kneeling in one position. For example, the conventional paddling position requires a person to kneel with full weight on the knees in order to achieve the maximum thrust in each stroke. In time, this position becomes very uncomfortable to all but the most seasoned canoists. Alternatively, the paddler can sit on a seat provided in most canoes or directly on the bottom of the boat, but the resulting "upright" position makes it difficult for the paddler to put his back into each stroke for maximum power. It therefore is desirable to have a seat for boats such as canoes which gives balanced support to the knees and posterior of the individual, which is adjustable, and which places the individual in a position suitable for maximum in paddling efficiency.